Match each data classification level to its handling requirement.
Drag a concept onto its matching description — or click a concept then click the description.
No restrictions; can be freely distributed
Access limited to employees; no external sharing
Access on need-to-know basis; encryption required
Highly sensitive; strict access control and logging
Subject to legal/compliance requirements (e.g., PII)
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Public: No special handling required
Data classification levels determine handling requirements: Public (no special handling), Internal (limited access), Confidential (authorized access only), Restricted (highest protection). Common confusions involve swapping handling requirements between levels.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Public: No special handling required
Why this is correct
Public data can be freely distributed without security controls.
Internal: Limited access within organization
Why this is correct
Internal data is restricted to organizational use only.
Confidential: Access restricted to authorized personnel only
Why this is correct
Confidential data requires strict access control based on need-to-know.
Restricted: Requires encryption, access logs, and data loss prevention
Why this is correct
Restricted data necessitates the highest protection measures.
Public: Access restricted to authorized personnel only
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect — this describes Confidential, not Public.
Internal: No special handling required
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect — this describes Public, not Internal.
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About these practice questions
This CISM question is part of Courseiva's 871-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CISM practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISACA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CISM exam.